UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has ruled out a second Scottish independence referendum even if the Scottish National Party wins a majority at next year's Holyrood election. The definitive statement, made on BBC Radio Scotland on Thursday, directly challenges First Minister John Swinney's strategy and has sparked accusations of "astonishing arrogance" from the Scottish government.
Reeves told the programme: «I'm going to be very clear, there won't be another referendum.» She invoked the 2014 vote, stating: «When there was a referendum just a few years ago it was said that this was a once-in-a-generation referendum. People gave their verdict then, we don't need another one.»
The Chancellor pointed to commitments made by former SNP leaders Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, who characterized the 2014 vote as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity." When asked how long a generation lasts, Reeves responded: «Certainly not 12 years.»
First Minister John Swinney has been relying on precedent from the SNP's 2011 election victory, which led directly to the 2014 referendum. His current strategy positions an SNP majority in May's Holyrood election as providing a mandate to begin negotiations for a fresh independence vote.
Scottish Government Response
Deputy First Minister Shona Robison sharply criticized the Labour position, accusing Reeves of «displaying an astonishing level of arrogance.» Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland later, Robison challenged the sustainability of Labour's stance: «I don't believe it will hold, it can't hold.»
She framed the issue as a matter of democratic rights: «This is a Labour Government that is now one of the most unpopular that we have seen in history and they are telling the Scottish people that they can't decide their own future. That, I think, will drive Labour opinion polls even further down.»
Legal and Constitutional Context
The dispute unfolds against a clear legal backdrop. The Supreme Court previously ruled that Holyrood cannot legislate for an independence referendum without Westminster's consent.
Constitutional experts told MSPs earlier this month that pursuing novel legal routes to independence represents «a dead end» following the Supreme Court's ruling. They emphasized that any future vote would require a «significant majority» of Scottish support.
Reeves insisted the Scottish government should instead focus on priorities like NHS waiting lists and educational outcomes rather than pursuing another referendum.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
